A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway: Review

Title: A Study in Ashes

Author: Emma Jane Holloway

Publisher: Del Rey

Publication Date: December 2013

Length: 662

Series: The Baskerville Affair (#3)

Audio or Book: Book

Reason for Discovery: ARC

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

From GoodReads:

As part of her devil’s bargain with the industrial steam barons, Evelina Cooper is finally enrolled in the Ladies’ College of London. However, she’s attending as the Gold King’s pet magician, in handcuffs and forbidden contact with even her closest relation, the detective Sherlock Holmes.

Not even Niccolo, the dashing pirate captain, and his sentient airship can save her. But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville Affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.

But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is…he’s dead.

This book is the exciting conclusion in The Baskerville Affair. The steam barons are vying for control of the British Empire, while Evelina, Imogen, Nick, and the rest of the gang are desperately trying to protect themselves and their loved ones. There is no doubt that someone will come out on top, the only question is who and with what force intellect or magic?

Do you want to know an embarrassing book blogger story? I thought that this book was in a different series about Sherlock Holmes' niece. Also, I picked up this book, because I was under the impression that the books could be read out of order. Well, A Study in Ashes is part of The Baskerville Affair, which is the final book in a trilogy about Evelina, a different niece of Sherlock Holmes. Apparently, Holmes has a lot of nieces running about London. Although I would not recommend starting with book three (A Study in Silks is book one), I really enjoyed this book. 

First off, I need to give this book praise for doing a good job of catching the reader up to speed with the plot. I did not read books one and two, but I was able to get the gist of what was happening and who all the characters were. I never felt completely lost. At the same time, I never felt like there was a lot of info dumping. Granted, someone who has read the first two books may feel differently, but I didn't notice it.When I started reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, there were times that I felt completely confused, because JK Rowling wasn't spelling something out (I forgot that DA stood for Dumbledore's Army) and I hadn't read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix since its publication day. This was not the case with A Study in Ashes. I was able to follow the plot reasonably well.

Although I was really impressed with the author's ability to summarize the first two books, I would not recommend jumping into this book for two reasons. One, I know I missed out on a lot of world building. The world building was pretty amazing in this book. It is a magical steampunk world with evil steam barons. Doesn't that sound amazing?! Unfortunately, there were some world building details that were lacking for me; however, I think that these details most likely happened in the first two books. For example, some people have magical abilities. I wanted to learn more about that, but there wasn't too much about the history of magic in this book. Also, I wanted to learn more about the steam barons and how they came to be. Again, there wasn't a ton of detail. I chalk this up to A Study in Ashes being the third book, and these details being explained in the previous books. The second reason I wouldn't recommend jumping into this book is that this book relies on a lot of different character POVs, and it can be a bit overwhelming. Also, the characters are written with the expectation that you already care for these characters. I feel that if I had already known all of these characters I would have been swept up in the ride of this book more quickly. 

This book starts off just a wee bit slow, but very quickly revs up into high gear and there is a ton of action. Because this is the world of steampunk, there are dirigibles, clockwork everything, and fantastical explosions. I thought that once the action sequences began, there was a nice pace to everything. It was quite a fun ride. My one concern with the action sequences was that although there was a ton of action, each action sequence was fairly short. I felt each event lasted about two pages on my Kindle. I wish they had been drawn out a bit longer. There would sometimes be pages and pages of dialogue, but once an action sequence began it would be over before I took my next breath. I think this was Holloway's first series of books, so I expect that these sequences will improve in time.

In regards to the characters, I thought they were great fun and fairly deep. They all felt a bit different and unique for the most part. By the end, everyone seemed a bit similar in their ability to be action heroes, but I give fantasy books a bit more leeway about that. I must admit that I wish the characters of Holmes, Watson, and Moriarty had not been used. I don't think they were used to their full potential and the characters could have been just as interesting with different identities. The same goes for Evelina. She wasn't the super intellect that Holmes was, so I didn't feel that she needed to be related to him. Also, I was surprised that Evelina is billed as the main character when she really isn't in the book more than the other characters.

One last thing I want to note about this book is that this book (and the series from what I gather from book reviews) is quite dark. It is YA dark, but still is much darker than what I was expecting. If you are looking for a fun, steampunk adventure, this is not it. If you want a fantasy steampunk world that is a bit dark, this is for you!

I give this book a 4 out of 5.

Very Good

Sunday Update!

I have been spending the week slowly getting back into the swing of things. Apparently, when you return home after being gone for almost a week, you have no desire to do anything except the bare minimum. I did get on the scale on Tuesday, and I quickly discovered why my clothes haven't been fitting well. Eek! Although I wasn't motivated to do much, exercise seemed like a fantastic idea. This one particular New Year's Resolution seems to be going in full gear.

I got a ton of reading done this week. I finished five books. Finished is the important word in that sentence though, because I had been reading several of these books for a while. I will admit that it is nice to get them off my plate. I am currently listening to three audio books, which is not my style (I prefer to just listen to one maybe two audio books at once), so I am keeping my fingers crossed for another productive reading week. Two of the books are around 11 hours each, so I think I will be able to get at least one knocked out next week.

 
Book Haul  

ARCS & Galleys

I received one galley in the last TWO weeks (crazy, right?). It is Hollow City by Ransom Riggs. It is an audio book.

From Giveaways

I received a few books from different giveaways in the last two weeks as well. This is going to seem like a lot, but some of these were items that I won a while ago, and due to to holidays, I only received them recently. I received a copy of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell from the Rainbow Rowell Read-a-Thon, which was hosted by Looking for the Panacea, PaperGrey, and  Fluttereal Flight. I received a signed copy of Unbreakable by Kami Garcia and a few extra goodies from Tressa' Wishful Endings. I received some swag from the Clean Out Your E-Reader Challenge hosted by Fantasy Is More Fun and Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life. They will be hosting this challenge again in March, so put it on your calendars! I received Slide by Michelle Congdon from the Slide book tour on Why I Can't Stop Reading. Finally, I received Notes from the Internet Apocalypse by Wayne Gladstone from the GoodReads First Reads Program.

From the Library

I just picked up one book from the library this week, but it is an important one! I got Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken!

Bought

 

This week I purchased a few books. I got Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark retold by Alvin Schwartz (with the original scary artwork by Stephen Gammell) at the Goodwill ($0.99 and $0.69, respectively!). I started exercising this week, and I have a little system in which I earn money to spend at Goodwill. As you can see, I can't go too crazy there. :)

 

Amazon was having some great sales this week, so I made a few purchases. First, I picked up City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare. I haven't started this series, but the book was so cheap ($2.99), I decided to pick it up (this sale isn't going on anymore). Second, I picked up Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield. I haven't heard great things about this book, but I really want to read it for myself. It was only $1.99, so I figured I haven't lost out (as of typing this, the sale is ongoing on the US Amazon site, double check the price before you buy!).

Currently Reading 

 

Dead as a Door Nail: Sookie Stackhouse has been calling to me for a little while, so I picked up book #5 in the series. I love the reader so much; it is like we are having a conversation.

 

Hollow City: I just started this audio book. I am enjoying the story, but I am not sold on the reader yet.

 

A Dance with Dragons: I just haven't been in the mood for this audio book, even though the story has been getting interesting.

 

Hangwire: I just read the first few pages of this book, and it has pulled me in! 

Read This Week
Dark Talisman by Steven M Booth

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber

The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R Delany

A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick: Audio Book Review

Title: The Silver Linings Playbook

Author: Matthew Quick

Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books

Publication Date: January 2008

Length: 289 ( 7h 22m)

Series: Stand Alone

Audio or Book: Audio Book (Reader: Ray Porter)

Reason for Discovery: On Sale & Enjoyed the Movie

From Goodreads: 

Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him -- the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!

Pat has been living in a mental health institute for a long time. His mother decides that he has been there long enough and gets him released into her custody. Pat is very excited about this, because he feels that with some hard work, he can end "apart time" with his wife Nikki. Before Pat entered the mental health institute, he and Nikki agreed to separate for a little bit of time. With the help of his therapist Cliff, the Philadelphia Eagles, and his new friend Tiffany, Pat might be able to regain the life he desperately wants.

A few months ago, I watched The Silver Linings Playbook. I thought it was a charming and quiet movie. I found a few rough edges in the movie, but all of my minor annoyances with the movie generally got swept away by the time the credits rolled. When I saw the audio book waw on sale, I decided to pick it up. I promptly forgot about the book until I had to drive to Pittsburgh and saw that it was the perfect length for driving there and back (~6 hours round trip).

The Silver Linings Playbook is so lovely. Like the movie, this is a quiet character transformation piece. There is excitement and surprises throughout the book, but it is a character piece about someone struggling with mental illness. Speaking of that, I found that this book did an excellent job of portraying mental illness. In the movie, Pat is labeled with a particular mental illness. I did not completely agree with this diagnosis. In the book, Pat is not given a diagnosis (at least I didn't notice one), and I thought this was a better choice. What Pat is experiencing in this book and his journey to recovery felt quite genuine. I didn't feel like I was rubbernecking someone else's problems, which I typically feel when I am reading fictional accounts of mental illness. Generally speaking, I like people's memoirs of their struggles with mental illness, but this book is makes me want to take a second look at fictional accounts. I also want to note that I really liked Cliff, Pat's therapist. Cliff did some things that are not traditionally appropriate for a therapist to do; however, Quick's portrayal of Cliff was much better than most therapists that I see on television or in books. In my real life, I study psychology, so poorly written accounts of mental illness and/or therapists is a pet peeve of mine (you should watch me watch Grey's Anatomy).

I thought that Quick did a great job of showing one man struggle with his mental illness within a family that is going through their own problems. Usually books like this only showcase the person with the mental illness or showcase that person within a totally crazy family (e.g., drug abuse, sexual abuse, or physical abuse). This book did a fantastic job of showing an everyday family deal with a difficult situation.

A big part of this book is Pat and his family's love of football and the Philadelphia Eagles. I thought the Eagles talk worked really well within the story; however, I can understand if this could be a turn off for someone else. All you need to know about football to appreciate what is happening in this book is that the Philadelphia Eagles play football.

If you are considering reading the book and seeing the movie, I would recommend seeing the movie first. You will be spoiled for a few things, but I think you will be able to enjoy both better this way. The movie makes some drastic changes from the book that work well for the movie, but I think I would personally be angry with these changes, if I had read the book first. I should note that the rough edges that I noticed in the movie were all smoothed over when I read the book. The rough edges in the movies appeared, because the movie people had to make changes to condense the book. The book is much smoother.

Audio: I thought that the reader was really greater. Tone, pacing, and inflection were fantastic. Porter also did a nice job with changing his voice for the different characters. I was really happy with his reading, and I will seek out other books read by him.

Overall, this was a pleasant read. I give this book a 5 out of 5.

Excellent

Thoughtful Thursday: Borrowing Characters

It is time for Thoughtful Thursday and the bookish questions that pop up while I am reading. Please share your thoughts on the bookish question of the week. I am curious to hear what you have to say! There are no wrong answers. Questions about Thoughtful Thursday or future Thoughtful Thursday posts? Check out my Thoughtful Thursday section. Alright, on to the question!

How do you feel about authors (in a non-fanfiction setting) borrowing other authors' characters. For example, there have been several authors who have included Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in their books as main characters.

There has been a lot of talk about Sherlock Holmes and public domain recently. In short, the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are now in the public domain, because some of the stories are in the public domain. In addition, my husband and I have been re-watching series 1 and 2 of Sherlock in preparation of the new series of Sherlock. All of this Holmes talk has got me thinking about authors borrowing characters. Please keep in mind that this discussion is devoted to published literary works, not fanfiction. The entire point of fanfiction is borrowing characters. :)

I am going to take a stand here, and I will probably discover ten million times in which I went against this stand. I don't like it when authors borrow characters and make those characters the main characters in their books. For example, I don't even read blurbs of books that are supposed to be additional stories about Sherlock Holmes. At the same time, I do read books like the Mary Russell series that have Sherlock Holmes in them, because he isn't the main character. Also, these type of books typically have Holmes set in a different environment/time frame (e.g., Emma Jane Holloway's A Study In series, which has Holmes is in a steampunk setting). If the environment and time frame is different enough, I am able to separate this new Holmes from the Holmes that I know and love. When authors are borrowing characters and are trying to keep the characters within the original world, my head itches. I just keep looking for inconsistencies between the new and original writer, and I cannot enjoy the story.

Now it's your turn! How do you feel about authors borrowing other authors' characters? Are there certain times that you are okay with this?

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris: Old Review

Title: Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

Author: David Sedaris

Publisher:

Publication Date:

Length:

Series:

Reason for Discovery: 

From GoodReads:

A guy walks into a bar car and...

From here the story could take many turns. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you with twists of humor and intelligence and leave you deeply moved. Sedaris remembers his father's dinnertime attire (shirtsleeves and underpants), his first colonoscopy (remarkably pleasant), and the time he considered buying the skeleton of a murdered Pygmy. With Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, David Sedaris shows once again why his work has been called "hilarious, elegant, and surprisingly moving" (Washington Post). 

Like Sedaris' previous books, Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls is a collection of stories and memoirs from Sedaris' life. This book also has a few short fictional stories as well.

I am not sure if David Sedaris has become more bitter as he has aged or has just started to run out of stories, but his recent books have not enchanted me. The first several essays were just disturbing or mean-spirited. I thought at times of just returning the book to the library unfinished. I did stick with it, and there were a few stories towards the end that were darling, although I cannot remember which ones they were. They were just not that memorable past the final page. I am glad that I read the book, but I am also glad that I borrowed it from the library instead of purchasing it. I do not foresee myself rereading this book unless I choose to reread all of David Sedaris's books. 

Although I did not enjoy this particular Sedaris book, I do recommend his earlier books. Sedaris does know how to spin a tale. He also does a great job of reading his own works. He is a regular on NPR's This American Life. Sadly, I do not think this is Sedaris' strongest work. I hope his next book is more to my liking. I give this book a two out of five.

Bout of Books Wrap Up

Bout of Books did not go exactly as planned. On day 2, I found out that my grandmother had passed away, and I spent the rest of the week helping with the funeral and driving. The two days that I was able to fully participate in the read-a-thon was quite fun. I enjoyed doing the challenges and attending the first Twitter party of the event. I am looking forward to doing the next one.

I was able to read Dark Talisman by Steven M Booth during the event. :)

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Debuts I Am Excited For

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week bloggers post a top ten list related to a specific theme. This week's theme is Top Ten Debuts I Am Excited For. All links lead to GoodReads.

1. Alienated by Melissa Landers
I must admit that the cover is what attracted me to this book. It is pretty. :) The story sounds pretty interesting too. A human and alien fall in love. Also, the aliens might be trying to take over the world too.

2. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
I have really enjoyed Kidd's previous novels, so I am excited to at least take a peek at this one. The story isn't something I would normally read, but I love Kidd's writing.

3. Defy by Sara B Larson
I am intrigued by this tale of a girl who is pretending to be a boy, so she can be a knight.  

4. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
I have been hearing mixed things about this book; however, I love the cover and I enjoy fairy tale retellings.

5. Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell
I enjoy stories about criminals, and this one about a teenage serial killer has got me intrigued. 

6. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
This is another retelling that looks interesting. In this tale, Amy, the other girl from Kansas, has to stop Dorothy who has let the power of Oz go to her head.

7. The Amazing Thing about the Way It Goes by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
Pearl-McPhee is one of the very, very few authors of whom I have read everything. She writes humorous memoirs about knitting. 

8. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L Armentrout
I haven't read anything by Armentrout, but I have heard a lot of good things about her other series. This story about a girl who loses her memory sounds interesting.

9. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
I just went on a Rainbow Rowell bender, and I loved all three of her books. I am excited to see what her next book has in store for me.

10. Vitro by Jessica Khoury
I love books about people pushing the boundaries of science and something going terribly wrong.